By Steven M. Glassman

Director of Sports Information

November 15, 2023

JENKINTOWN, PA—United States Collegiate Athletic Association (USCAA) Division I Manor College (2-0) freshman guard Manny Roach (Medford, NJ/Life Center Academy) scored 21 points (including a combined 14 in the second half and in overtime) as the Blue Jays defeated the NCAA Division III University of Valley Forge Patriots (0-5), 88-82, in overtime.

Valley Forge led by as much as seven points in the first half, 17-10, with 7:15 left on forward Nasir Bernard's layup.  Forward Isaiah Reece's jump shot gave the Patriots a 21-16 lead with 5:39 remaining.  Manor responded, scoring 10 straight points over the next 1:30, including taking its first lead of the game, 24-21 (4:33), on senior guard Eddie Fortescue, Jr's (Blue Bell, PA/Wissahickon) three-point basket with an assist by sophomore forward Cheikh Diagne (Philadelphia, PA/Northeast). Diagne's steal and layup with 4:09 remaining gave the Blue Jays its 10th straight point and extended its lead to 26-21. Roach's three-point basket gave Manor its largest lead of the first half, 35-27, with 1:06 left.  Between 5:39 and 1:06, a 4:33 stretch, the Blue Jays went on a 19-6 run.  Manor led at halftime, 38-34.  Fortescue Jr led the Blue Jays with 12 points.

Manor expanded on its lead in the second half. Roach's three-point basket (with an assist by freshman center Cristeph Lamothe [Philadelphia, PA/Camelot Excel Academy]) with 15:46 remaining gave Manor a 47-41 lead and began a 13-3 run over the next 5:23. Freshman forward Deacon Linder's (Philadelphia, PA/Hardy Williams Academy [Mastery]) jump shot with 10:23 left finished the run and gave the Blue Jays its largest lead of the game, 57-44.   Valley Forge answered with a 20-7 run over the next 5:40.  Patriot guard Keyshawn Kennedy's three-point basket with an assist by guard Deshawn Goodine finished off the run and tied the game at 64 with 4:43 remaining.  Kennedy's three-point basket with 3:11 left gave Valley Forge its first lead since Reece's jump shot gave them a 21-16 lead with 5:39 remaining in the first half.  Goodine's free throws gave the Patriots a 73-68 lead with 2:22 left. Patriot guard Devin Smith's free throws gave them a 75-72 lead with about 16 seconds remaining.  Diagne's only three-point basket of the game with an assist by junior guard Namir Simmons (Philadelphia, PA/Academy Park) tied it at 75 with 0:09.2 left.  Valley Forge guard Jason Bontemps missed a three-point attempt at the buzzer.  The Blue Jays finished the final 2:07 of regulation on a 7-2 run. The Patriots outscored the Blue Jays in the second half, 41-37.  Kennedy led both teams with 17 points. Roach paced Manor with 11 points.

Valley Forge took its only overtime lead, 77-75, on Reece's free throws with 4:18 left. Manor took the overtime lead for good, 78-77 on Roach's three-point basket with an assist by Diagne with 3:16 remaining. This began an 11-2 run over the next 2:39. Diagne's free throws with 6.1 seconds left finished the Blue Jays' overtime scoring.  Manor outscored Valley Forge in overtime, 13-7.  Simmons led both teams with six points. He scored a combined 16 points in the second half and overtime.  Kennedy led both teams with 21 points in the second half and overtime.

Statistical Leaders: In addition to Roach, Fortescue Jr. contributed 20, and Simmons added 18 points and led both teams with five assists. Diagne scored 10 points and paced the Blue Jays with eight rebounds and four steals and led both teams with two blocked shots.

Kennedy came off the bench and led Valley Forge with 23 points.  Bontemps, forward Jeremiah Daye, and Smith (off the bench) scored 11 points each for the Patriots.  Boone paced both teams with 13 rebounds.

Manor 2023-2024 Single-Game Scoring Leaders (including ties): Roach (1) and Simmons (1).

Manor 2023-2024 Single-Game Rebounding Leaders (including ties): Diagne (1), Lamothe (1), and Roach (1).

Manor 2023-2024 Single-Game Assists Leaders (including ties): Simmons (2).

Manor 2023-2024 Single-Game Steals Leaders (including ties): Roach (1) and Simmons (1).

Manor 2023-2024 Double-Figure Scoring Leaders: Diagne (2), Fortescue Jr (2), Roach (2), Simmons (2), freshman guard Steven Latimer (Hainesport, NJ/Rancocas Valley) (1), Linder (1), and junior Jarid Vertil (Willingboro, NJ/Rahway) (1).

Manor 2023-2024 20-Point Games Leaders: Simmons (2), Fortescue Jr (1), and Roach (1).

Manor 2023-2024 30-Point Games Leaders: None.

Manor 2023-2024 Double-Figure Rebounding Leaders: None.

Manor 2023-2024 "Double-Double" (Points and Rebounds) Leaders: None.

Season Series (Since 1994-1995): This is the first match-up between the two schools.

Manor Versus NCAA Division III (Since 2021-2022): Since joining the USCAA, Manor is 2-1 overall (1-0 at home) versus NCAA Division III schools.

Manor Leading at Halftime: The Blue Jays are 2-0 overall (2-0 at home) when they are leading at halftime this season.  Manor is 15-3 overall (9-2 at home) this season when leading at halftime since joining the USCAA.

Manor in Overtime Games (Since 2021-2022): The Blue Jays are 1-1 overall (1-0 at home) in overtime games since joining the USCAA.  This is Manor's first overtime win since February 19, 2019 (92-91 in double overtime at NJCAA Division III Community College of Philadelphia) when they were in the NJCAA.  The Blue Jays are 5-14 in overtime games (3-8 at home) since the 2008-2009 season.  Manor previously won at home in overtime on December 19, 2017 (108-107 in triple overtime versus Raritan Valley Community College) when they were in the NJCAA.

Next Game: Manor plays the USCAA Division II and Hudson Valley Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (HVIAC) member State University of New York (SUNY)-Environmental Science and Forestry (ESF) Oaks in the Electric City Classic Semifinals on Friday, November 17 at 8:00 p.m. at NCAA Division III Marywood University in Scranton, Pennsylvania.  This is the first meeting between the two schools. The winner plays in the Championship Game on Saturday, November 18 at 4:00 p.m.  The loser plays in the Consolation Game at 2:00 p.m.  The rest of the Electric City Classic field is host Marywood (2-2) and USCAA Division II and Eastern States Athletic Conference (ESAC) member Central Pennsylvania College Knights (0-3). Marywood hosts Central Pennsylvania in the other Semifinal at 6:00 p.m.

Next Home Game: The Blue Jays play NJCAA Region XIX Division III Delaware County Community College Phantoms on Thursday, December 7 at 7:30 p.m.  The Blue Jays are 28-9 overall (15-3 at home, including eight straight wins) versus the Phantoms since the 1994-1995 season (2001-2002 season is unavailable), including six straight wins. Manor previously played Delaware County on December 2, 2021 at home. The Blue Jays won, 85-70.

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